FAR 23.2420 — Reversing Systems
FAR 23.2420 requires Part 23 airplane reversing systems to operate safely and allow continued safe flight and landing after any single failure or malfunction.
FAR 23.2420 is a Part 23 airworthiness design standard governing thrust or propeller reversing systems on small airplanes. It sets two basic safety requirements that manufacturers must meet during certification:
- No unsafe condition during normal operation. When the reversing system is used as intended (for example, after touchdown), it must not create a hazard to the airplane or its occupants.
- Continued safe flight and landing after failures. The airplane must remain controllable and able to land safely after any single failure, any likely combination of failures, or a malfunction of the reversing system.
Why it matters operationally: a reverser that deploys inadvertently in flight, fails to stow, or hangs up on landing can be catastrophic. This rule forces designers to build in fail-safes, redundancy, and proper warning so that a reverser malfunction never leaves the pilot without a path to a safe landing. As a pilot, knowing the certification basis helps you understand why your AFM has specific procedures for reverser malfunctions and inadvertent deployment.